My time abroad in Singapore has been very informative and eye-opening for me. As I get settled back into my everyday life back at home, I am able to reflect on what I learned in Singapore and how they conduct business there. As a management major, what piqued my interest was the way they lead their teams. I was quickly able to pick up on their focus on a collective and collaborative approach to teams rather than an individualistic perspective. In our breakfast meetings whilst in Singapore, our professor shared with us the difference between collective and individualistic societies. The US is very individualistic as there is an emphasis on personal growth and development in our society and everyday life. In Singaporean business I was able to see the underlying theme of collectivism. Each person in the team is working together to achieve a shared goal, rather than against each other. This fosters a strong environment of respect for the people they are working with. No one person takes credit for a team effort, it is acknowledged and rewarded as a team. In fact, one company that we visited, S&P Global, even talked about how diversity, equity, and inclusion is naturally already a part of the business culture there. Singapore is a melting pot of cultures and the collectivist mindset allows for each person to already socially be welcomed and respected, which translates to the business world as well. I even noticed this myself, as each interaction I had with people in Singapore was kind and welcoming and I did not feel out of place. I have learned that while Singapore is halfway around the country, there is an underlying theme of collectivism that welcomes people from all over the world socially and professionally. I have grown a deep appreciation for this approach as it makes for a unified workforce all working together for the betterment of their society as a whole, rather than themselves. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Singapore and look forward to conducting business here in my future endeavors.
